It's official: LeBron James is now a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
The free agent had already announced via his agency on July 2 that he had agreed to a four-year, $154 million deal with the Lakers. Monday night, Klutch Sports Group sent out a short tweet simply noting, "Officially signed with the @Lakers @KingJames"
The accompanying photo shows a smiling James with a contract and pen in front of him, while Lakers GM Rob Pelinka has his arm around James's shoulders.
“Today is a great day for the Lakers organization and Lakers fans all over the world to welcome LeBron James, a three-time NBA Champion and four-time NBA MVP,” Lakers President of Basketball Operations Earvin “Magic” Johnson said in a statement. “LeBron is special. He is the best player in the world. He loves to compete and is an awesome leader who is about winning and making sure that his teammates are successful. The Lakers players are excited to have a teammate who has been to nine NBA Finals. It’s a huge step closer to returning the Lakers to the playoffs and to the NBA Finals.”
No surprise here, that James has made it official, despite calls from some critics that he should back out of the deal. Everyone knows what James brings to LA. Now, the pressure's on Pelinka and the Lakers to give him the supporting cast he needs.
